BASEBALL
Teixeira out
Slumping first baseman Mark Teixeira is out of the New York Yankees' lineup against Toronto because his neck is bothering him again. Dustin Ackley was scheduled to start at first in Teixeira's place Wednesday night. New York Manager Joe Girardi said he's concerned about the 36-year-old, who missed two games May 10-11 because of a neck issue. Girardi said the three-time All-Star told the team his neck "kind of locked up," and he was scheduled to see a doctor Wednesday evening. In the final season of a $180 million, eight-year contract, Teixeira is batting .195 with 3 home runs, 4 doubles and 12 RBI. In other news, Girardi said it's likely designated hitter Alex Rodriguez will rejoin the lineup today. Rodriguez, on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, was set to play his second rehab game for Class AA Trenton on Wednesday night.
• Matt Harvey, mired in the worst spiral of his career, will get yet another chance to stop the bleeding. The struggling right-hander will remain in the Mets' rotation. He starts on Monday against the Chicago White Sox at Citi Field. "I'm not giving up on him," Manager Terry Collins said before the Mets' game against the Nationals on Wednesday. The Mets did not give real consideration to demoting Harvey, whose bloated 6.08 ERA is one of the worst among all pitchers in baseball, ranking 101st out of 105 qualifying pitchers entering Wednesday. Nor did they seem keen on stashing him in the bullpen, or skipping his next turn to straighten out his mechanics. As he did after his latest brutal outing on Tuesday, Harvey declined comment. Harvey, who is 3-7, gave up 5 runs on 8 hits, including 3 home runs, and 2 walks while striking out just 1 in 5 innings on Tuesday night in a 7-4 loss to the Nationals. The one strikeout was the lowest in his MLB career, spanning 75 regular-season starts. His previous outing, also against the Nationals, lasted just 2 2/3 innings. He gave up nine runs (six earned) in that game.
• A former Major League Baseball player is running for governor in Vermont as a member of the Liberty Union party, which bills itself as nonviolent and socialist. Bill "Spaceman" Lee told WCAX-TV that voters will "need umbrellas" if he's elected because "it's going to be raining dollars," referring to money trickling down from the wealthy. Lee pitched for the Boston Red Sox from 1969 to 1978. He was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2008. Lee said he's a "pragmatic, conservative, forward thinker." He said he supports legalizing marijuana, a single-payer health care system and paid family leave. Four other candidates -- including a Google executive -- are also running. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders first ran for office in Vermont -- unsuccessfully -- as a Liberty Union candidate.
BASKETBALL
Fizdale new Grizzlies coach?
The Memphis Grizzlies have offered their head coaching job to Miami Heat assistant David Fizdale, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. The person said Fizdale met with Grizzlies controlling owner Robert Pera on Wednesday in California and that the job had been offered. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Grizzlies are not commenting on specific candidates in their coaching search. Yahoo Sports first reported the offer. Fizdale would replace Dave Joerger, fired May 7 after three seasons and three playoff berths. This would be Fizdale’sfirst head coaching job. He has been with the Heat since the 2008-09 season and has been assistant head coach the past two seasons.
Former NBA player Kermit Washington is accused of using donations intended to help needy people in Africa for his own gain, including paying for vacations, jewelry and entertainment. U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson on Wednesday announced a federal indictment against Washington, who is best known for punching Houston Rockets player Rudy Tomjanovich during a game in 1977. Washington, 64, is charged with interfering with internal revenue laws, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, obstruction of justice and aggravated identity theft. He was arrested Tuesday in Los Angeles.
MOTOR SPORTS
Indy 500 sold out
All tickets for Sunday's Indianapolis 500 have been sold and, for only the third time in history, local race fans will be able to watch the race live on television. Race organizers made the announcement Wednesday morning. The race has traditionally been televised on tape delay in the Indianapolis television market. But with all reserved seating, suite and general admission tickets sold out for the 100th running of the race, the blackout was lifted. The race has not been televised live locally since the 1950s.
HORSE RACING
Pair elected to Hall
Arthur B. "Bull" Hancock Jr. and William Woodward Sr., prominent thoroughbred breeders and owners, have been elected to racing's Hall of Fame in the Pillars of the Turf category. The announcement was made Wednesday by the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame. Hancock and Woodward will be inducted on Aug. 12, along with horses Rachel Alexandra, Tom Ochiltree and Zenyatta; jockeys Ramon Dominguez and Wayne Wright; and trainer Steve Asmussen. Hancock, who died in 1972 at the age of 62, took over Claiborne Farm in the late 1940s after his father became ill. Among the top sires that stood at the farm were Bold Ruler, Nasrullah and Princequillo. From 1952-72, Claiborne produced at least one divisional champion every year. Hancock also was a leader in forming several owners and breeders organizations. Woodward, who died in 1953 at the age of 77, bred 101 stakes winners, including Triple Crown winners Gallant Fox (1930) and Omaha (1935). He was chairman of The Jockey Club for 20 years, from 1930-50. The pillars category honors those who have made extraordinary contributions to racing as pioneers or leaders.
TENNIS
Murray, Wawrinka play hard and win
PARIS — Priority No. 1 now for Andy Murray at the French Open: Putting his feet up. After 10 sets of tennis in his first two rounds, he sorely needs the rest.
The Scot, seeded second, came through 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday against Mathias Bourgue, 22, a French player ranked 164th with a wild card to play his first Grand Slam tournament. The second-round victory came just a day after Murray completed another five-setter in the first round.
One small consolation: Defending champion Stan Wawrinka isn’t firing on all cylinders, either.
Following a five-set victory in the first round, Wawrinka again wasn’t convincing in the second round, with a 7-6 (7), 6-3, 6-4 victory over Taro Daniel of Japan.
Most notable were the break points which the third-seeded Swiss player failed to convert against a player 89 spots below him in the rankings. Daniel had stalled in the first round last year, when Wawrinka rode his sublime backhand to the final and won in his now infamous shorts against Novak Djokovic.
Wawrinka had 17 opportunities to break the Japanese right-hander, and seized only four of them.
Fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori is already in gear. The 2014 U.S. Open finalist broke Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia six times and saved seven break points in a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory.
Another Japanese player also is impressing. Still 18 and playing in only her second major tournament, Naomi Osaka also has yet to drop a set. After beating 32nd-seeded Jelena Ostapenko in the first round, she advanced to the third round by beating Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-3, 6-3.
Osaka next plays 2014 French Open finalist Simona Halep. The sixth-seeded Romanian rallied from 4-1 down in the first set to beat Zarina Diyas 7-6 (5), 6-2.
Garbine Muguruza, the 2015 Wimbledon finalist, won 6-2, 6-0 against Myrtille Georges, a French wild-card entry. Muguruza’s next opponent, 54th-ranked Yanina Wickmayer, failed to advance beyond the third round in two previous attempts.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and 2009 French Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova also advanced in straight sets.
Sports on 05/26/2016